HOTEL CASE VERDICT: AIADMK volunteers go berserk

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEB. 2. A savage case of arson, incidents of picketing
and stoning of buses, besides road roko by AIADMK partymen and
volunteers marked the widespread protests in the State following
the Special Court order sentencing the AIADMK general secretary,
Ms. Jayalalitha, to a year's RI in the Pleasant Stay hotel case.

Even as violent incidents were sparked off, including in Chennai,
soon after the judgement was pronounced, the first deaths were
reported from Dharmapuri when AIADMK men, condemning the
sentence, set fire to a college bus carrying girl students of
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) at Ilakiyampatti on the
outskirts of Dharmapuri.

At least six State Transport Corporation buses were gutted, three
each in Dharmapuri and Perambalur districts, 54 others damaged in
stone throwing in different parts of the State and over 1000
persons arrested in connection with the violent incidents. State-
run buses were suspended after 8 p.m.

Tension escalated near Dharmapuri this evening with unrelenting
TNAU students refusing to allow the removal of the bodies of the
three girl students who were charred to death in the bus burning
by the AIADMK men earlier in the day.

The situation went out of control as the district Collector, Mr.
M. Saikumar's plea went unheeded. The agitated students attempted
to manhandle the Collector and broke the windshield of his car
after which police at one stage fired in the air to disperse the
students and removed the bodies to the hospital.

Conveying his condolence to the families of the three women
students, the Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, announced a
solatium of Rs.2 lakhs to each of the affected families. Accusing
the AIADMK partymen of having indulged in violent acts, he warned
that severe action would be taken against those resorting to
arson and stone throwing.

Mr. Karunanidhi also pointed out that the amendment effected to
the Tamil Nadu Public Properties (Prevention of destruction and
loss) Act, under the previous AIADMK regime, required that the
leader of the political party concerned should compensate the
damage caused by the cadres to public property.

Reports from the districts said normal life was disrupted for
quite a while in many of the urban and semi-urban areas in the
wake of rasta roko and stoning of buses by irate AIADMK partymen.
At Karur and in two places in Perambalur some AIADMK cadres burnt
effigies of Mr. Karunanidhi even as police foiled a similar
attempt near the Periyar bus stand at Madurai.

While in Perambalur, former AIADMK MP, Mr. Rajarathinam, was
among those arrested, police picked up another of its former MP,
Mr. Rajam Chellappa, at Madurai. In Chennai, AIADMK MP from
Gobichettipalayam, Mr. K. K. Kaliappan, former State Minister,
Mr. Jayakumar and former MLAs, Mrs. Sakkubai and Mrs. Valarmathi
were among those taken into custody.

As the reaction to the court's verdict unfolded in Chennai,
AIADMK partymen, according to police, who blocked traffic near
the Beach railway station, also damaged buses passing in the
vicinity. Police lathi charged to disperse the crowd in which
scores of AIADMK members suffered injuries. Hundreds of party
workers who had gathered near the AIADMK headquarters were also
chased away by the police when they attempted to block traffic.
Totally 317 persons were arrested in Chennai and 23 MTC buses
damaged in the city and its outskirts.

In several places including Tiruchi, Karur and Salem, shops and
business establishments down shutters, even as some of the
educational institutions in Tiruchi and Karur closed the schools
in the afternoon. The State Director General of Police, Mr. F.C.
Sharma, told reporters in Chennai this evening that among those
arrested in Tiruchi included the Jayalalitha Peravai State
Secretary, Mr. Elavarasan, and former MLAs, Mr. Sivapathy and Mr.
Prince Thangavel.

Dwelling at some length on the Dharmapuri arson incident, Mr.
Sharma said on receipt of information police and fire service
rushed to the spot. By then, about 40 students had managed
themselves to safety but the three young girls studying in the
second year B.Sc. (Agri) were trapped inside the bus and perished
in the inferno.

Mr. Sharma said a case of murder and damage to property has been
registered, while special teams had been sent to apprehend the
arsonists. Meanwhile, the DGP said two persons had already been
picked up in connection with the incident. Based on eyewitness
accounts, an FIR was filed in which 15 persons including an
AIADMK functionary, Mr. D.K. Rajendran had been cited as accused.